Introduction:

Jute is one of the important natural fibers after cotton in terms of cultivation and usage. Cultivation is dependent on the climate, season, and soil.There had been a rapid expansion of the jute industry in India around Calcutta particularly during certain boom periods.

Histoty:

• From one mill in 1855 with no looms and another mill established four years later with only 192 looms, towards the end of the first decade of the 20th Century there were 59 mills with 30,685 looms. In the year 1918, the loom strength was 39,401.
• During the period after the First World War, there was a further advance in the productive capacity of the industry and in 1919-20 the number of mills had increased to 76 with 41,000 looms. There had also come into existence three mills in Andhra Pradesh part of the then Madres Presidency, and one in Uttar Pradesh (formally United province).
• During 1919-20 fourteen mills ware registered in India showing a great development in jute industry in Bengal and according to the statistics available in the Romance of Jute` the loomage was well above 50,000 in 1927. The temp of expansion continued unabated both in number of mills and in loomage irrespective of the considerations of demand and supply till about 1939-40 when there were 108 mills with 68,000 looms.
• There was very little expansion of the industry during the years of the Second World War; nevertheless, at the end of the war, i.e., in 1945, there ware 111 mills with an installed capacity of 68,542 looms.
• There has been no significant expansion ever since and the number of composite mills has now come down to 73 owing to amalgamation an closure of uneconomic units. There has however been a reduction in the loomage also and it now stands at 44162 looms. Besides these 73 jute mills, there are about 30 spinning units manufacturing ropes and twines.
• The industry has completed its hundred forty five years of existence. Its productive capacity has increased from 1.2 million tones per year in the first plan period to 1.4 million tons at the end of the Second Plan period and 1.6 million tones at the end of this century.
• There is an overwhelming concentration of he industry in West Bengal and only a sprinkling of it is to be found elsewhere in India. The reasons for this are not far to seek.

Distribution:

• Factors like an abundant supply of raw material, proximity of cola fields of Ranigunge, navigability of the Hooghly and the availability of the required type of labor in the neighborhood were all responsible for the location of industry over a stretch of about 60 mille on either side of the river Hooghly, from Bansberia to Uluberia on the West bank and from Halisahar to Birlapur on the east bank. Calcutta grew into greater prominence on account of this industry and was developed as first class port, a network of railways was laid, connecting Calcutta with the interior of the country, giant electric power supply station came up and inland water transport service developed.
• Bengal and jute industry are inseparable and in fact there is such a heavy concentration of the industry in this area that one is apt to ignore the existence of the industry else ware. But due to factors such as the availability of raw materials near about, cheap labor or ready local market, small jute mills have come up in other states too. Besides 59 composite jute mills located in West Bengal, 3 mills are located each in Bihar and UP, 4 in Andhra Pradesh, 1 each in Assam, Orissa, Tripura and Madhya Pradesh. In addition there exist 3 exclusive yarn-producing units and about 30 mini jute-spinning units. Six sick and closed units were nationalized in 1980 and placed under the management of NJMC for their rehabilitation. Out of 73 composite units, 6 belongs to public sector, 5 to state sector, 1 to co-operative sector and 61 are private sector units.
• Out of the country's total loomage of 44162, only a mere 4429 looms are found distributed in places other than West Bengal. Similarly, out of 6,35,096 Spindles installed in the country, 5,07,960 has been installed in West Bengal.

Production:

• India is the largest producer of jute in the world. Approximately 60 percent of the total world produce of jute is cultivated in India with an annual estimated production of 11494 thousand bales of jute.
• The annual production of jute goods was 15.96 lake tones during 1998-99. Sacking continues to be the largest segment of production accounting for 52 percent. Hessian constitutes about 25 percent. One significant change in the product mix is the remarkable increase in production. Another welcome development has been the steady increase in production of non-traditional diversified products.
• State of West Bengal tops the list of jute producing states with 8969 thousand bales of Jute production in the year 2014-15. The state alone produces more than 75% of the jute the country produces. Jute is grown in major parts of lower Ganges plains, especially in the districts of Midnapur, Bardhman, 24 Paraganas, Malda, Murshidabad etc.

DESCRIPTION OF JUTE GOODS

• Hessian: A plain weave cloth made wholly of jute with single warp and weft interwoven weighing not more the 17 oz per sq.yd. & with the no of warp and weft threads added together not more than 33 per sq. inch. The selvedge may contain cotton yarn and/or yarn made out of man made fiber.
• CBC: A woven cloth made wholly of jute not less than 104" wide, weighing not less than 5 oz per sq. yd. with the no. of warp and weft threads added together not less than 20/inch.sq.
• Sacking: Either plain or twill weave cloth made wholly of jute double warp and single weft, or vice- versa, inter-woven, weighing not less than 12 oz/sq.yd. and with no. of warp threads not more than 30/inch and no. of weft threads less than 10/inch.
• Tarpaulin: A plain weave cloth made wholly of jute with double warp and single weft inter-woven, weighing not more than 18 oz per sq.yd. &, with the no. of warp threads not less than 30 per inch and the no. of weft threads not less than 10 but not more than 14/inch.
• Canvas: A plain weave cloth made wholly of jute with double warp & single weft inter-woven weighing not less than 12 oz/sq.yd. and with the no. of warp threads more than 30/inch & no. of weft threads not less than 14/inch.
• Ordy. Yam: Yarn made wholly of jute having an oil content of more than 2% and of count more than 6 lbs.
• Special Yarn: Yarn made wholly of jute having an oil content not more than 2% & count not more than 6 lbs.
• Twine: Two or more yarns made wholly of jute ordy. yarn or Spl. yarn or specialty yarn twisted together.
• Webbing: A narrow weave fabric made wholly of jute using single or plied jute yarn having width of not more than 6".
• Cotton Bagging: Soil Saver:A plain weave jute netting made of jute yarn as warp and jute rove as weft or jute rove as warp and jute yarn as weft or jute rove both as warp and weft. May be of single or double warp constructions.

Problems facing:

• The Jute industry in West Bengal, which employs 2.5 lakh workers, is going through a serious crisis. Though a Tripartite Wage Agreement was signed in the industry by the Government of West Bengal recently, serious labour trouble is erupting in different mills, especially in this month over non-payment of wages.
• Notice of Suspension of Work was issued in Nafarchand and Kankinada Jute Mills in the Barrackpore industrial belt. On the same night, similar Suspension of Work Notice was issued in Victoria Jute Mill, Telinipara, in the Hooghly industrial belt. The mill employs 5000 workers. On May 2, 2015, labour trouble erupted in Wellington Jute Mill of Rishra and India Jute Mill in Serampore, both in Serampore parliamentary constituency.
• The Prabartak Jute Mill in Kamarhati, has been closed recently. The Kamarhati Jute Mill, also in my constituency, has also been closed sometimes back. Also, the Calcutta Jute Mill in north Kolkata is lying closed. All these closed jute mills together employed 50,000 workers.
• The main reason for their problems is that the mills are not getting adequate orders from the Government of India as par the Jute Packaging Materials Act. And, they are not getting orders from either Government of India for jute sacking and also from the State Government.
• There is also a problem regarding rising price of raw jute. Unless the Textile Ministry intervenes immediately, the crisis is going to get worse and more employees will be thrown out of employment.

Govt., of India recently had taken following steps to revamp the industry:

1. Some schemes have been introduced for the diversification in the industry so that structural changes in product range may occur. Jute handlooms, handicrafts etc. were given priority.

2. Govt., has introduced circular for compulsory use in packing commodities (Act- 1987).

3. Govt., had launched Jute Modernization Fund scheme with 150 crore capital and Jute Development Fund scheme with 100 crore capital to revive the industry.

4. A national centre for jute diversification has also been set up.

5. The multi-fibre industry has been modified to use jute goods in other industry too.

6. Govt., and U.N.D.P. together launched a set of programmes to monitor jute pro­duction, diversification and export promotion.

Conclusion:

• The Jute industry occupies an important place in the national economy of India. It is one of the major industries in the eastern region, particularly in West Bengal, which is home to 64 of the 83 composite jute mills spread across India.
• Jute, the golden fibre, meets all the standards for ‘safe’ packaging in view of being a natural, renewable, biodegradable and eco-friendly product.
• It is estimated that that the jute industry provides direct employment to 0.37 million workers in organized mills and in diversified units including tertiary sector and allied activities and supports the livelihood of around 4.0 million farm families. In addition there are a large number of persons engaged in the trade of jute.